As India marks 150 years of its national song Vande Mataram, a fresh political row has erupted. The BJP has accused former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of deliberately removing verses that praised Goddess Durga, claiming it was a “historic sin” committed by the Congress under his leadership in 1937.
BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan made the allegation in a detailed post on X (formerly Twitter), sharing excerpts from Nehru’s letters written in 1937.
“In a letter dated September 1, 1937, Nehru spitefully writes that anybody considering the words in Vande Mataram as anything to do with a Goddess was absurd,” Kesavan wrote.
Kesavan alleged that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose wanted to release the song’s “full original version”, while Nehru thought it was “not suitable” as a national song.
He cited a letter Nehru wrote to Bose on October 20, 1937, saying the song’s “background was likely to irritate Muslims” and that “communalistic elements have been affected by it.”
“Congress under Nehru, citing religious grounds, deliberately removed stanzas of Vande Mataram which hailed Goddess Ma Durga,” Kesavan said.
“A Historic Sin and Blunder” — BJP’s Sharp Attack
Kesavan said that the Congress’ decision was a “historic blunder” that distorted the song’s spirit.
“Vande Mataram did not belong to any particular religion or language. But the Congress committed the historic sin and blunder of linking it with religion,” he wrote.
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The comments come ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address at the 150th anniversary celebration of Vande Mataram at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi.
Nehru-Rahul Parallel Drawn
CR Kesavan also compared Nehru’s stance to that of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling both “Hindu Virodhi” (anti-Hindu) in attitude.
“The Hindu Virodhi mentality of Nehru finds a pungent echo in Rahul Gandhi, who recently demeaned the sacred Chhath Puja as a drama,” Kesavan said.
Rahul Gandhi had recently accused the BJP of “staging a drama” by building a separate pond for Prime Minister Modi’s Chhath Puja dip in Delhi — a comment that triggered backlash from several Hindu groups.
Vande Mataram was penned by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in the 19th century and published in the literary journal Bangadarshan as part of his novel “Anandamath” in 1882.
The song became a symbol of India’s freedom movement, inspiring generations of revolutionaries and nationalists. While it was later shortened to avoid communal tension, it continues to evoke deep patriotic emotion across the country.
